By Michael Kelley ’14 & Drew Friedman ’16
With four interceptions through just six games, sophomore safety Jared Roberts ranks second in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision with .67 interceptions per game. But his impact extends much farther than the stat sheet. Roberts headlines a much-improved defense that has helped Lafayette already tie their win total from last season.
All year long, Roberts has stymied offensive coordinators, wreaked havoc, and forced quarterbacks and their receivers into awkward positions.
But Roberts’ path to becoming one of Lafayette’s premier players has been an unusual one. At one point, the Pennsauken, NJ native was a guard for the Naval Academy basketball team. Throughout the year though, he felt as though something was missing from his life.
“I was supposed to go to the Naval Academy to play basketball with my twin brother, but once I got there I realized the whole military commitment wasn’t really for me,” Roberts said.
From there, Roberts decided it was in his best interest to take a post-graduate year at Loomis Chaffee School. And it was there that he was convinced to play football through numerous Division I football coach contacts and the support of his coach and family.
“My coach at Loomis Chaffee asked me to talk to a few of the recruiting coaches coming in to see what I thought, and the more coaches I talked to, the more I fell in love with the idea of playing football instead of basketball,” Roberts said.
One of those coaches was Lafayette head coach, Frank Tavani. At the time, Lafayette Offensive Coordinator Mickey Fein and Tavaniwere recruiting through New England area and stopped by to see Roberts play basketball. Needless to say, the pair left extremely impressed with his athletic ability. And after sitting down with him to talk, Roberts committed and the rest is history.
JR, as his teammates call him, made the right decision. Despite being injured all of last season with a broken hand, this season has been a coming out party as Roberts has exceeded expectations.
Roberts has made his impact felt in every game and last Saturday was no different, as he intercepted a pass in a 20-10victory over Yale. Besides playing take away with opposing quarterbacks, Roberts has also helped out in the run defense, registering 31 tackles this season.
He grew up a three-sport athlete alongside twin brother Isaiah (who remains at Navy as a guard for the basketball team), and his older brother Glenn, who played basketball at Coppin State University. Besides basketball, JR also ran track through middle school and high school, and performed the long, high, and triple jumps. He has been a natural athlete his whole life.
“I’m the first person in my family to ever play college football. Both my brothers played basketball in college, but their support and my new found engagement with the sport keeps me going,” Roberts said.
Roberts leans on his family for support. Before each game, Roberts reads a letter in his locker that his sister wrote to him, though he wouldn’t disclose it’s details.
Off the field, the economics major participates in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and practices his basketball skills by playing intramurals in the spring.
With a newfound love for football, JR is consistently working towards his ultimate goal: the NFL.
“With my build and athleticism and the help of Coach Potts [strength and conditioning coach], I could have a real opportunity of going to the next level, so I have been told,” Roberts said.
But for now, Roberts will continue to help Lafayette win games by playing take away with opposing quarterbacks.
